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Top Emeka Okafor News
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Emeka Okafor: Waived by Philly
Okafor was waived by the 76ers on Saturday, Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports.
Okafor didn't make a big enough impression during training camp to secure a contract from the 76ers. He may end up with another NBA team at some point during the season. Last year, during his age 34 season, he averaged 4.4 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.0 block in 13.6 minutes with the Pelicans.
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76ers' Emeka Okafor: Inks deal with Philly
Okafor signed a contract with the 76ers on Friday, Rich Hofmann of The Athletic reports.
The deal is a non-guaranteed minimum contract, so he'll essentially be trying out for the Sixers. Okafor has a fair shot at making the team considering the 76ers are relatively shallow at center behind Joel Embiid. Okafor appeared in 26 games last season with the Pelicans, averaging 4.4 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.0 block across 13.6 minutes.
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Pelicans' Emeka Okafor: Waived by New Orleans
Okafor was waived by the Pelicans on Wednesday.
Okafor re-joined the league last season at age 34 after being out since the 2012-13 season. He appeared in 26 games (19 starts) and averaged 4.4 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.0 block in 13.6 minutes. The Pelicans signed Julius Randle in the offseason in the wake of losing DeMarcus Cousins, and the organization seems to feel that Randle can handle a significant chunk of reserve center minutes. Cheick Diallo and Jahlil Okafor are also in the fold at the position. It's possible the veteran secures a training camp deal and/or ends up making a final NBA roster, as he showed he can still provide solid defense and rebounding in backup minutes.
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Pelicans' Emeka Okafor: Will come off bench Wednesday
Okafor will shift back to a bench role for Wednesday's matchup with the Grizzlies, Grizzlies radio play-by-play announcer Eric Hasseltine reports.
Okafor has logged 15 minutes or less in four straight games, so he was already essentially off the fantasy radar despite previously working with the starters. His demotion to the bench certainly doesn't help things and he'll likely struggle to hit double-digit minutes. This does appear to be a matchup-based decision, however, so Okafor could be back in the starting five as soon as Friday's game against the Suns.
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Pelicans' Emeka Okafor: Grabs nine boards in start
Okafor posted six points (2-4 FG, 2-2 FT) and nine rebounds in 15 minutes during Tuesday's 107-103 loss to the Pelicans.
While Okafor drew the start, it's Chieck Diallo who's been reaping the most benefits while Nikola Mirotic (hip) eases back into play. Once Mirotic is 100 percent, both Okafor and Diallo's production should take a big hit.
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Pelicans' Emeka Okafor: Will rejoin starting five Tuesday
Okafor will rejoin the starting lineup for Tuesday's game against the Trail Blazers.
The Pelicans opted to start Darius Miller instead of Okafor during Saturday's contest, though it appears that was just a one-game experiment. As a result, Okafor will reclaim a starting role Tuesday, but considering he's seen single-digit minutes in three of his last four games, he likely shouldn't be relied upon for those in either season-long leagues or playing DFS contests Tuesday.
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Pelicans' Emeka Okafor: Coming off bench Saturday
Okafor will come off the bench for Saturday's game against the Rockets.
Anthony Davis is starting at center for the contest, with Darius Miller taking over at power forward. The Pelicans will be without Nikola Mirotic (hip) for the contest, so Okafor should still receive a sizable workload off the bench.
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Pelicans' Emeka Okafor: Reclaims starting role Saturday
Okafor will re-enter the starting five for Saturday's game against the Rockets.
Okafor came off the bench in favor of Nikola Mirotic Thursday, though it appears that was simply for a matchup reasons. Look for Okafor to rejoin the starting five Saturday, which should mean an uptick in minutes from the 12 he logged Thursday.
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Pelicans' Emeka Okafor: Coming off bench Thursday
Okafor will come off the bench for Thursday's contest against the Spurs, Paul Garcia of TheSportsDaily.com reports. Nikola Mirotic will draw the start in his stead.
Coach Alvin Gentry has opted to shift his starting five, possibly in an attempt to counter coach Gregg Popovich's lineup, which features Kyle Anderson at power forward and LaMarcus Aldridge at center. Over the past five games, Okafor has averaged 9.0 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in 20.6 minutes.
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Pelicans' Emeka Okafor: Just short of double-double Tuesday
Okafor scored 14 points (7-14 FG) while adding eight rebounds and three steals in 26 minutes during Tuesday's 119-115 win over the Hornets.
The shot attempts were a season high for Okafor, who scored in double digits for the second straight game. He remains a complementary player at best in a Pelicans offense dominated by Anthony Davis, Jrue Holiday and Rajon Rondo, but the 35-year-old should see a steady role down the stretch given the team's lack of depth up the middle.
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Pelicans' Emeka Okafor: Productive in return to lineup
Okafor (ankle) generated nine points (4-6 FG, 1-2 FT), seven rebounds, three blocks and one steal across 21 minutes in Tuesday's 121-116 win over the Clippers.
The veteran big man ultimately missed only one game with his ankle sprain and was productive in his return. Okafor's playing time continues to be limited overall -- his 21 minutes Tuesday qualified as a season high -- but he's provided some serviceable scoring and rebounding production relative to those limited opportunities. He's been most valued for his defensive presence, as partly evidenced by his four games with multiple blocks and average of 1.6 rejections overall across nine contests.
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Pelicans' Emeka Okafor: Starting in return to lineup Tuesday
Okafor (ankle) will start at center in Tuesday's game against the Clippers, Jim Eichenhofer of Pelicans.com reports.
Okafor missed Saturday's tilt with a sprained ankle, but he'll limit his absence to just one game and will immediately reclaim a spot in the top unit. Despite starting, Okafor continues to see minutes in the teens most nights, which keeps him off the radar in the bulk of season-long fantasy leagues. Look for Nikola Mirotic to shift to the bench in the corresponding move.
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Pelicans' Emeka Okafor: Available Tuesday
Okafor (ankle) is available for Tuesday's game against the Clippers.
Okafor missed the Pelicans' previous contest due to a sprained ankle and was subsequently labeled questionable for Tuestday's tilt. It appears pregame warmups have gone well for the veteran big man, as the team has ultimately decided to allow him to play. Barring any setbacks, expect him to take on his usual workload in the contest.
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Pelicans' Emeka Okafor: Questionable for Tuesday
Okafor (ankle) is listed as questionable for Tuesday's game against the Clippers.
Okafor was forced to sit out Sunday's game against the Mavericks with a sprained right ankle and is now in danger of missing a second straight contest. Look for the Pelicans to reevaluate their big man following Tuesday's morning shootaround and a final decision should be made on his availability shortly following that session. If Okafor were to remain out, Nikola Mirotic would likely pick up another start after posting 24 points, five rebounds, two assists and one block across 31 minutes Sunday. Cheick Diallo would also likely see an elevated role once again after logging a 13-point, 15-rebound double-double across 23 minutes off the bench.
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Pelicans' Emeka Okafor: Ruled out Sunday
Okafor (ankle) will not play Sunday against Dallas, Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News reports.
A sprained right ankle will keep Okafor out of the lineup Sunday, so the Pelicans will revert back to Nikola Mirotic as the starting power forward, with Anthony Davis shifting up to center. Cheick Diallo could also be in line for increased minutes off the bench.
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Pelicans' Emeka Okafor: Downgraded to questionable Sunday
Okafor (ankle) has been downgraded from probable to questionable for Sunday's tilt against the Mavericks.
Okafor, whose right ankle sprain may have factored into the big man playing just four minutes against the Spurs last Wednesday, could miss additional time Sunday if he's ultimately ruled out or limited. Both Cheick Diallo and Nikola Mirotic could be in line for additional minutes alongside Anthony Davis in the Pelicans' frontcourt.
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Pelicans' Emeka Okafor: Probable with ankle sprain Sunday
Okafor is probable for Sunday's contest against the Mavericks due to a right ankle sprain.
This is the first news of Okafor dealing with an ankle sprain, though he played just four minutes in the team's most recent game Wednesday against San Antonio, so the injury may have occurred then. It appears he isn't in too much pain, however, and will most likely take the floor. Excluding Wednesday's game, Okafor is averaging 5.5 points, 6.7 boards and 2.2 blocks across 17.8 minutes per game across the past six tilts.
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Player Bio
| HT/WT: 6-10, 255 lbs |
| Birthplace: Houston, TX, USA |
| Age: 41 |
| School: Connecticut |
| Experience: 10 |